Indie Biz Chicks

For those of you trying to establish yourself as a business owner, I have one recommendation: Chrissy Herron.

As you all know I've been working a few businesses for a few years. I stumbled upon Chrissy's site a few month's back and it has made a difference. She is hosting a very nice webinar soon: Indie Biz Chicks Conference I've signed up - it's free! and there will be all kinds of great information on a spectrum of topics. If you haven't checked her out, and you want to run your own business, you should!

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Love is all around

Success. Most define it in terms of wealth, position, or power. Mine was defined today in a way. One of my daughters graciously told the world she had inherited my hands. And was to have inherited them. Whenever someone I love pays me a compliment, enjoys a measure of fulfillment through a childhood teaching I count it as success.

“Do we exemplify [a] legacy of love? Do our homes? Bernadine Healy, in a commencement address, gave this counsel: ‘As a physician, who has been deeply privileged to share the most profound moments of people’s lives including their final moments, let me tell you a secret. People facing death don’t think about what degrees they have earned, what positions they have held, or how much wealth they have accumulated. At the end, what really matters is who you loved and who loved you. That circle of love is everything, and is a great measure of a past life. It is the gift of greatest worth’ (“On Light and Worth: Lessons from Medicine,” Commencement address, Vassar College, 29 May 1994, 10, Special Collections).”

How is success defined for you?

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The Cab Ride

Recently a story has made the rounds of the internet. I saw it a day ago on Grow a Brain. It went around the bend with some infusion from Zen Moments and of all places dooce.com last September. It is a story titled The cab ride. I've read it along with 100,000,000 other people over time. It is a striking story about human interaction.

The first time I read it was in 2003. I read on a blog called Indigo Insights. (it's the third story down) I remember being struck by the story instantly, and evidently I'm not the only one. I emailed the author of the blog and asked her permission to reprint the story. She, of course, told me no problem. I thought she was the author. After googling around a bit I could not really determine who the author actually was. So when I began blogging I set it aside and didn't blog about this very moving story.

The link at Grow a Brain explains who penned it. Now I know who penned it, Mr. Nerburn explains, more about it and how it has moved its way around the internet for years. You'll notice his explanation is from September 2008. I'm not sure how it came to be at Grow a Brain.

I like his explanation of BlueMoments. I call them something different - prompting of the spirit. No matter what you want to call it, it is proof we each have our link to the Divine and if, we are listening (sometimes - bonked on the head!), gifts come our way that can light up a dark hour.

So if you have a moment like this share it. Mr. Nerburn shared his moment over 20 years ago and it is still touching people, reminding people of the goodness in each of us. And we can all use a bit of goodness!

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Awe on a Bicycle - Danny MacAskill

Most of us get on a bike and ride, get some exercise and go home. Not this guy. He really gets some exercise. This is truly awe inspiring. It could be a corporate recruiting video for a firm looking for the best, of the best, of the best!


You'll never ride your bike again without thinking of this video. Hope. Strength. Endurance. Hat tip: Amish Robot,

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Dude

There is just something about the word "dude". We use it a lot around the 1963 remodel. I am not advocating Bud Light. Heck I've never even had a bud light. However, my compliments to the agency, DDB Chicago, that created these commercials.

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Cutest Kid in a commercial EVER

This is another commercial playing in California that just makes you smile.


I just love that kid!

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Doe, a Deer

This made me smile for about an hour.


I'd love to be able to witness something like this in person!

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Retinal Detachment

I am learning all I can about retinal detachment. Babe has one. He was going through his day on Monday and his vision got worse and worse. Finally we called urgent care about 2 and they said to come in at 5:30...

Then we got a lecture from the doctor about waiting so long. Who knew? After we reemed him about not knowing what was happening... we got appointments for the next day (yesterday) to see an opthomologist. After seeing him we went to a retinal specialist. Today we are going to the surgery center to have the detachment re-attached. I'll let you all in on the details soon.

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Music - First and Last

I love copying memes from Susan because they always have something to do with music or photography. This one is all about music.

1. What is the first song you ever remember hearing? How old were you?

I was four. My brother got one of those funky little record players with the lid that hinged on and off and could play forty fives. He bought El Paso by Marty Robbins. He must've played that record a hundred times a day. In fact I think I still have it in my stuff somewhere.

2. What was the first album you ever bought on your own? What format?

Oh hmmmm. I remember the first forty-five I ever bought easier than the album. It was Help Me Rhonda by the Beach Boys. I was in fifth grade. My brother, who is a year older than me, was already a record club member and he was buying all the albums. I do remember now! That same year I had have him order me The Dave Clark Five. Vinyl, of course, no other choice at that time.

3. (If you’re old enough) What was the first CD you ever bought?

I remember being ticked off that we had already purchased albums in vinyl, then 8-track, then cassette and now they wanted us to buy CDs???!!! (Just ask me about how I feel about the RIAA) Then like everyone else we jumped on that band wagon pretty quick - first CD - probably Phil Collins (No Jacket Required) or Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon).

4. What was the latest album you’ve purchased?

Does anyone buy albums anymore? We mostly buy songs. The latest songs I've downloaded have been oldies for my iPod. Girl Watcher by the Okaysions was the latest. And a Nickel Creek song.

5. What song takes you straight back to grade school?

Help Me Rhonda and Stop in the Name of Love. I can still see a girl from the sixth grade standing on the play ground pretending she was Diana Ross (I was a lowly fifth grader).

6. What was the theme song of your 8th grade dance and/or graduation?

Oh wow. I remember 7th grade dances better. Our Valentine's dance was Good Vibrations. 8th grade we didn't do graduation just a school dance. I think Hey Jude got played a lot for slow songs.

7. What was your first real concert?

Jimi Hendrix, San Diego Sports Arena I was 14. I always say 15 because I turned fifteen that year but I was only 14 when I saw him. It was in May, my grandmother bought the tickets for my brother and I got to go with him, basically by default as his friends' parent wouldn't let them go. We rode the bus to San Diego and it was a great concert. People were dressed so differently. Some in tuxes and evening gowns (old people) and kids in jeans and tie dyed t shirts. Hendrix talked a lot about the war during the set.

There's an article floating around the net saying that the tickets were anywhere from $2.50 to $5.50 but ours cost $15.00 each. I think in an old scrapbook of my bros is the ticket stub. My grandmother thought it was highway robbery, but still it was a birthday gift for my brother so she didn't complain all that much.

8. What was your latest real concert?

I can't recall. There goes that memory thing. It's been a while. I know there was an Aerosmith concert in Austin, but Babe and middle daughter went to that. I do remember seeing an impromptu concert at Waterloo records with Lyle Lovett in 1993 (i think it was 93).

9. Best concert?

It would be easier to tell you worst concert. Best? Hmmm. I do know best band ever in concert. It was Captain Beyond. They opened for Alice Cooper in San Diego. We were stunned at how good they were. Clean, sharp, in tune and man oh man - tight. We bought their album the next day. The piccolo snare was amazing.

10. What was your song with your first girl-/boyfriend?

Good Vibrations, John. Valentine's dance. Became our song. We went steady for six weeks I think. I moved on to Grant leaving John in the dust.

11. What was your favorite band in high school?

I have to say it changed as music was progressing pretty quickly. Not that I no longer liked the band but I moved through artists pretty quickly. Freshman year it would have to be Cream, then Deep Purple. Then on through the rest of high school were the Beatles as they broke up, and Black Sabbath. Alice Cooper became an all time favorite along with Uriah Heep.

12. What albums were the soundtrack of your senior year?

Senior year Imagine was our senior song. But I'm thinking Pink Floyd Meddle was usually in the cassette player and got exchanged out with Under My Wheels by Alice Cooper quite a bit.


13. What was your first musical discovery at college?

College. Queen and Uriah Heep. Not really a discovery but they were hot. And anything had to be better than my roommate's country and western crap she played.

14. What song(s) did you/do you want played at your wedding?

Oh ugh. I was married in the 70s. Weddings were still like "ruled by parental units back then" We had yet to break out and think for ourselves or at least win the arguments back then. I remember wanting my bridesmaids in navy blue - you know the dark, dark blue on the flag - yeah that blue. My pics reveal my moms ruling, a light blue flowery print. ugh. So I didn't have music at the reception that I can remember at all. I was such a cupcake back then!

I have to chuckle though, I think there was a rendition of Saturday's Warrior at my brothers wedding a year later.

15. Do you have a favorite band now? If so, who?

Favorite band now. Hmmm. I always take a nod from the girls now. The Tall Kid seems to be presenting some good stuff. Right nikugow Rise Against has found its way into the play list.

16. What’s the last thing you listened to?

Yesterday's drive to San Diego included a lot of Hawkwind.

17. What do you want played at your funeral?

Not sure. Let me think about it while I tell this story about my brother's funeral. He was a HUGE Emerson Lake and Palmer fan. The guy loved them. On the Works 1 album they have Fanfare for the Common Man by Aaron Copeland. Bro always said he wanted it played at his funeral. We found a lady in the stake willing to play it and it was perfection. I can't listen to ELP without tearing up to this day.



My funeral on the other hand hmmm. I do know I'd like "I believe in Christ" sung at the memorial and I'll Fly Away.

And at the ash spreading (somewhere the bluebonnets bloom in the hill country of Texas, I'll be home) a good old rendition of Tiny Dancer and Sunshine on my Shoulders possibly.




If you, like me, would like to share your musical memories go for it!

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